Prep Talk

Prep Students Perform Ministry of Presence in Ocean City

Posted November 13th, 2012

 

On Thursday, November 8, St. Augustine Prep we received a request from the Ocean City Fire Department seeking volunteers to go door to door throughout the city of Ocean City to check on the status of the citizens.  Since the Prep was closed on Friday because of Open House for prospective students, we put out the word for volunteers.  At 8:00 a.m., 37 students and three teachers went to Ocean City and attended a briefing by fire officials detailing what the assignment would involve.  When the Prep group was introduced by the Fire Department, the approximately 100 citizen volunteers erupted in applause.  St. Augustine Prep has a long and solid relationship with Ocean City as a sending area to our school.

Our students were divided into two groups and assigned two different wards of the city.  The task was to knock on every door and, if someone was home, to introduce ourselves and ask them if they had standing water in their home, if they had electricity, if there were injuries or illness.  Most homes had no one living inside but the students left a leaflet at each door explaining how help could be obtained.

Some of the students may have been looking for a more adventurous assignment.  But it was explained to them that just their presence in the city and showing concern for the citizens was the main purpose.  The boys were told that they were performing a Ministry of Presence and their actions were really a form of prayer.  The students were broken into groups of two or three and, with a fire fighter or teacher, went door to door.  The smiles and warm thanks received from all of the residents made the trip very worthwhile.

Upon completion of the task a local church provided bag lunches for the students.  Prior to departure members of the Ocean City Fire Department gave a very emotional thank you to all of our dedicated volunteer students.